my-open-letters-to-the-world

[my-open-letters-to-the-world]

My Story as a Queer High School Student.

People sometimes forget about the horrible things humanity does to itself. Whether it is what is happening in the middle-east daily, or what is happening to immigrants or refugees in the States, or if it really is just what those who fear the differences between people and themselves in the world. I cannot forget about the horrible things some humans do to other humans because I hear it, almost every day. Whether it occurs during the ten months when I'm in high school or be the two months I am off on summer vacation I hear how I'm different. I first remember it happening in elementary school.  I was the girl who didn't want to play hop-scotch or four square with all the other girls. I was the girl who wanted to play soccer with the guys or wanted to play tackle football with them. I was the girl who was ruthless in gym class. Who wanted to be the guys and rub it in their faces. I didn't want to be called a girly girl, I was a tomboy. I still am a tomboy. In middle school, I came out to my friends as bisexual and then rumours came out. I was either gay and had a crush on the most popular girl in my grade or I was straight and having sex with a popular guy. I had had a crush on the most popular girl in my grade but the guy I was supposedly having sex with was just a friend. High school started and people forgot about my crush on the popular girl in my grade who I still had a crush on. However, people also began to forget about me. My friends had started to gain more friends from the different feeder schools while I stayed back, our friendships getting put on the back-burner. I had crushes upon crushes as I tried to figure out whom I liked or what I liked and the only thing I figured out was that I don't know. When I told my friends I was bisexual I had felt like I had to have a label. That I had to be able to define myself. At age 13, that's a lot to ask. I realized that maybe I didn't need a label. Grade nine passed and I had finally gotten over the girl from middle school and had decided that I don't need to find love at 14 so I stopped having crushes. I was no longer looking for anyone, I was living my life with the friends I still had and had made near the end of grade nine and beginning of grade ten. I had a guy try to hit on me for most of the year but when I told him I was gay, mostly because he was a guy I've known since kindergarten and I truly just wasn't interested, he told me that he had already heard that I was bi. He tried to tell me that I was bi. I don't know if I can make that sound any worse, he tried to tell me what I was. That's not how it works, you might have heard something but it may not be true. He finally gave up after an entire semester, or after I got a girlfriend, whatever. When I did get a girlfriend I noticed things around me more. When I would walk around the halls texting her while she was in class I noticed more stares. When I would walk her home and kiss her goodbye at the end of her street I would notice the stares and the whispers. I once kissed my girl goodbye and heard this guy tell his mother, 'that's not how a relationship is,' and to you sir I say this; let me kiss the girl I love goodbye for the night. Let me love whom I want to love. You probably will never see me again so you have no need to tell your mom what you think of me and my girlfriend. Leave me alone dude, I don't care about you and I don't know why you care about me and my girlfriend. You are not the only guy I've noticed talk about me and my girlfriend but you are the one that got me into writing this piece. Therefore, dear young boy in the purple shirt, I don't care whom you date so why do you care whom I do?

[my-open-letters-to-the-world]

Dear Netflix,  

I am a sixteen-year-old from Winnipeg, Canada who has fallen in love with many of the shows you have originally programmed, Jessica Jones, The Defenders, Once Upon A Time, On My Block spring to my mind first, but I would like to talk about one show that has helped me tremendously in my personal life. Everything Sucks!  

The characters and actors are diverse with different backgrounds and ethnicities that come together as a family. Each character brought so much to each episode and each scene they were in.  

Emaline Addario gave the screen a young women in a toxic relationship and saw her grow passed him as an individual and in a group. We start the series with Emaline being the centre of attention, in the drama club and in the school with her relationship with Oliver being the biggest in the school but we also see her a lot of the times alone chasing after him, begging for his attention. We see her heartbroken over Oliver after he leaves for New York without a word even after he repeatedly told her what to do and how she would dress. We see her open up to Kate that night and we see a different side of her. A side that is soft and caring, that is open and insecure. A side to her that is relatable to any teen going through life. Then when she was jealous and we saw her be distant again but she quickly changed her mind and needed to talk to Kate. That is character development. One of what I believe to be the best character arcs of any television show. She is a real person who put up a front and acted on who she thought people would want. She showed me how to be true to me. That people who hurt me shouldn't have power over me. She taught me how to let go of toxic people and it's okay to forget about them.  

Kate Messner was different. The principles daughter, the girl who dressed differently, who didn't have a mom, who was taught everything from her father. Since she was different she wasn't popular but she wasn't a weirdo that no one talked to. She was just her and that's all she needed to be. Her journey of discovery of her sexual orientation is relatable to all who went through it, my self included. Because I got to experience this show – because watching this show is an experience in itself – while I am in high school, it puts so many things in perspective for me. Kate's hesitance in giving herself a label is true to anyone in the queer community because labels are given such a negative connotation in the time period of the show. Kate was the true backbone of the show who eased Luke into the idea of their parents dating, who taught Emaline to be herself. Kate taught not only us but Luke to appreciate the people around you. She taught me it's okay to be me. That it's okay to only have one parent.  

The relationship of Kate and Emaline had inspired me to come out to my father through watching the show with him. The representation the show has originally drew me to the project but I stayed for the characters, the plot, the small town and the people.  

Luke O'Neil was raised mostly by himself, his father left when he was young and his mom's job takes her across the world but she does her best. He is also going through a lot of change, he is in his first year of high school, through his first relationship, through his mother's first relationship that isn't his dad (as far as we know). He is trying his best to cope with all the changes the best way he can. Though he can seem overbearing at some points it makes sense with his character. He is a young man who doesn't know how to handle some situations and he is still learning like any high school student.  He taught us it's okay to be wrong, it's okay to regret things. He showed us how to forgive. He showed the true emotion of seeing someone who had forgotten him that I have gone through and the break down that ensues. He shows its okay to not be okay.

Ken Messner, the principle of Boring High. The man how raised Kate to be the best she could be. The man who lost his wife and still went on and raised her the best he could. When he found love in Luke's mom he lit up everyone he knew's life. He found hope in love and tried to share it with everyone he interacted with. His love and affection for his daughter is one of the most honourable things the show has to offer.  He teaches how to fight for your happiness, how to have happiness after tragedy.  

Sherry O'Neil does her best and that's all she needs to do. She raised Luke on her own after picking herself up after her husband walked out on her and Luke. Her job takes her all over the world but it supports her son and that's all that matters to her. When she finds love with Ken Messner, her first thought was about her son and he will always be her first choice. She shows the world a strong, confident single mother. She taught me how to stand my ground, how to stay close to family.  

Ken and Sherry's relationship was fantastic with two single parents finding love. It gives hope to those who have lost love with one person whom they share a child with to find love again.  

Please, renew the show that gives representation to so many different minorities. Please.  

Sincerely, A Heartbroken Fan – Beth D.